Improvement in car-couplings



A. W0 N D ER LY..

Car-Couplings. No.149,624. PatntedApriH4H874.

Vitnesss I Inventop wm ma /MM, Qw, I 2

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

ALEXANDER WONDER-LY, OF PALISADE,'NEVADA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF,

IV. E. GRIFFIN, AND J. B. TOLLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,624, dated Aprill4, 1874 application filed February 10, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ALEXANDER WONDERLY, of Palisade, Eureka county, State of Nevada, have invented an Improved Oar-Ooupling; and I do hereby declare .the following description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvement without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to an improved coupling for automatically connecting two railwaycars, and also to an arrangement foruncoupling or disconnecting the cars from the side or top of either car.

In order to explain my invention so that others will be able to understand its construction and operation, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a perspective view of my coupling. Fig. 2 is a transverse section. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section.

A is a section of a railroad-car. B is the metallic draw-head, which, in the present instance, I have represented as being cylindrical in form; but it can, if desired, be made in any of the usual forms. The bufi'er O or outer end of the draw-head is provided with the usual socket and flaring opening, into which the link enters. In each side of the bufi'er-head I make a vertical opening or slot, d, and in each slot I secure a latch or dog, E, by a hinge-joint at its lower end, so that the dogs, when standing vertically, will fill the slots and extend through inside of the socket so as to almost close the passage. One end of a bar, f, is hinged to the end of the car above the draw-head, so as to extend out over the draw-head, its outer end being above and between the upper ends of the two latches E. A link or chain, y, then connects the upper end of each latch with the outer end of the hinged bar, as shown. H is a horizontal lever, which is pivoted to the carbody near the draw-head, and at right angles to it. The short end of this lever is bent, so that a pin, '5, at its extremity passes through a hole or slot in the bar f near its middle. The long arm of the lever is weighted sufficiently to keep its opposite or short end and the outer end of the bar f raised, and thus retain the latches E drawn up in their upright position. Those portions of the latches or dogs which project inside of the socket are beveled on their outer edges, corresponding with the flare of the mouth of the bumper. As a coupling-link, I use a bolt, J, which is provided with a semi-oval head, K, at each end. When two cars come together the oval head or end of this link enters the flaring mouth of the opposite bumper, and, striking the inclined edges of the dogs E, forces them apart, so that the l head passes between them. After the head has passed through into the socket the weight of the long arm of the lever H will lift the bar f, and, through it, close the dogs together. The lever H has a handle, I, at its outer end, which is within easy reach of a person standing by the side of the car, so that by lifting the heavy end of the lever. the upper ends of the dogs E will be forced apart, thus releasing the head of the link and uncoupling the cars. A rod, m, has one end attached to the outer endof the lever, and extends up to the top of the car, where it is properly supported, so that the coupling can be operated from the top of the car by drawing upon the rod so as to lift the lever. A bend, o, in the rod on serves to hook over a pin or other bar, 12, at some point on the end of the car, so that the weighted lever may be retained in the elevated position when it is desired to leave standing. cars in a condition to uneouple when they are moved.

By this arrangement railroad-cars will be automatically connected when brought together, and can be disconnected from either the side or top, as most convenient.

When switching or moving cars upon side tracks, when it is not desired to have the cars couple when brought together, it is only necessary to hang the rod m by the hook or bend 0, which can be done from either side or top of the car. For flat cars it is only necessary to lift the lever up and place a pin under it.

Should a car or a portion of a train be thrown from a track or overturned, this coupling will immediately disconnect the cars, and thus avoid the danger of ditching the entire train.

The coupling is strong and durable, and will work well on the sharpest curves, and can, by

,in combination with the latches E E, hinged at using a pin having a slot at one end and a head at the other, be employed in connection with other couplings now in use.

I do not claim the oval-headed link in combination with clamping-jaws, for these are old; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The bufl'er 0, having a flaring mouth, and provided with vertical slots in its opposite sides,

their lower end, hinged barf, connecting-rods g, oval-headed link J, and an operating-weight,

H, all combined substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In combination with the latches E E, hinged bar f, and connecting-rods g, the lever H, having its short arm connected with the bar f and its long arm weighted, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

ALEXANDER WON DERLY. Witnesses:

JOHN T. CARDWELL, A. B. ERWAY. 

